1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical interconnecting system for transmitting data. More particularly, the invention relates to an optical interconnecting system for transmitting data, which is constructed such that a transmitter and a receiver are integrated into one bidirectional transmitting/receiving circuit to convert an electric signal into an optical signal, transmit the optical signal, and convert the transmitted signal into an electric signal.
2. Background of the Related Art
A transmitter of an optical interconnecting system uses a laser diode (LD) device for converting an electric signal into an optical signal and transmitting the optical signal. The transmitter needs a separate driving circuit for driving the laser diode device. Thus, the laser diode device and the driving circuit construct the transmitter for electric-to-optic signal conversion.
A receiver of the optical interconnecting system uses a photo diode for converting the optical signal transmitted from the transmitter into an electric signal. The receiver requires a pre-amplifier and a limiting amplifier for amplifying a minute electric signal converted by the photo diode. Accordingly, the photo diode, the pre-amplifier and the limiting amplifier construct the receiver for optic-electric signal conversion.
In a conventional optical interconnecting system for transmitting data between chips or boards, a transmitter and a receiver are paired and they transmit and receive data respectively. That is, to transmit and receive data, one data line requires a separate transmitter and a separate receiver. Accordingly, the transmitter and the receiver should be respectively required at both ends of the data line.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional optical interconnection transmitting/receiving circuit. As shown in FIG. 1, transmitters 3 and 6 are connected to a laser diode 7 and receivers 4 and 5 are connected to a photo diode 8 to transmit/receive data between first and second semiconductor chips 1 and 2 on a single data line. In the conventional optical interconnection transmitting/receiving circuit, the transmitter 3 and the receiver 4 should be respectively connected to the laser diode 7 and the photo diode 8. This increases power consumption of the system and raises costs required for design, manufacturing and packaging of each circuit. These problems become more serious when a multi-dimensional multi-channel is constructed.